Battery terminal clamp bolt



Aug. 4, 1936. F. P. HEITMAN 2,049,649

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP BOLT Filed June 25', 1934 Fig.1 H, Y,

INVENTOR FRHeiznmn Patented Aug. 4, 1936 warren s'rarss Parser or ies 2,049,649 BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP BOLT Fred P. Heitman, Yerington, Nev. Application June 25, 1934, Serial No. 732,334 I 3 Claims. (01. 17s-259) This invention relates to battery terminal clamps and particularly to the clamping bolts thereof. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a bolt for the purpose to take the place of the present inadequate bolt, which is applicable to anystandard clamp and so constructed that the threads of the bolt and nut are completely concealed at all times and are thus protected from corrosion, so that the likelihood of the nut freezing on the bolt is greatly reduced if not eliminated.

, I, have alsoprovided a simple means for preventing the nut or bolt from working loose without the use of a lock nut or similar device which would be unsuitable for this service. The clamping members are usually made of metal having little resiliency and once the clamp is tightened about the terminal it will not readily disengage the same even when the clamping bolt is loosened and a puller or other means must frequently be applied to the clamp to remove the same. It is therefore another object of my invention to provide a bolt and nut unit so constructed that while relative rotation of the bolt or nut in one direction tightens the clamp about the terminal, rotation in the opposite direction will positively spread or expand the clamp away from the terminal so that the removal of the clamp is greatly facilitated.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my improved clamping bolt as applied to a clamp.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the nut and a portion of the clamp in section.

Figure 3 is a plan View partly in section of a combination clamp tightening and spreading bolt and nut unit. I

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, and particularly at present to Figures 1 and 2, the clamp as usual comprises a split body or yoke l adapted to surround the terminal portion 2 of the .battery 3 and having separate ears 4 projecting from one side of the body at the split.

The bolt 5 is adapted to project through the ears as-usual and has a square head 6 provided with a hole I extending transversely therethrough. The nut 8 is also of square form and is provided with a smooth bore 9 extending part way into the nut from one end and which com 5 municates with the inner tapped portion ii to engage the threads H of the bolt. The bolt is also smooth surfaced along the portion thereof engaging the bore 9 and has a free turning fit therein. In this manner the threads bothof the 10 bolt, and nut are entirely concealed and protected from contact with corrosive acid or fumes from the battery and will retain their proper form indefinitely.

Beyond the tapped portion the nut is provided 15 with suitably arranged transverse holes i; to removably receive a pin it or the like which may be used to both turn the nut and also as a means to prevent the same from backing up, if the pin is then left in the nut so as to engage the top 20 of the battery with any turning of thenut as shown in Figure 1. The pin may also be so used in the hole 1 of the bolt head to hold the same from rotation in the event that the usual head engaging notch S on the outer face of one 25 of the ears is worn or happens to be on the nut side of the clamp. In any case the notch does not necessarily interfere with the forceful turning of the nut by means of the nut or bolt head with'the aid of the pin, since the nut and 30 head are of hard metal whereas the clamp is relatively soft, and the wall of the notch will be cut away to the extent necessary by the sharp edges of the nut or bolt head as the latter is turned. 35

This type of bolt and nut are removable as is ordinarily the case and may be applied to any standard clamp without change to the latter, and. the clamp may have to be spread and removed from the post if frozen thereto somewhat 40 in the usual manner. When the clamp is tightened about the post the ears are apt to be disposed at an angle to each other especially if thepost is small. In this case the bolt between the ears usually bends. struction even though the bending at this point may take place, there is no possibility of any bending being had adjacent the threads on account of the long andbolt enveloping nature of the nut. The nut is therefore always straight 50 on the bolt and will never jam. When it is desired to loosen the clamp from. the post, turning of the bolt if bent tends to loosen the clamp as the metal of the same is soft and gives to the movement of the bolt. This turning may be 55 With my improved con- 5 V readily accomplished by inserting a pin through the hole l in the bolt head, and by this means the use of a puller or the like to loosen the clamp may be made unnecessary.

The bolt receiving hole in the nut being in effect a closed socket, it may be filled with grease before the bolt is inserted therein, thus preventing corrosion of the enclosed portion of the bolt and the walls of the socket and facilitating the turning of the nut whenever necessary,

The structure of Figure 3 however shows a bolt and nut unit, the separate elements of which are permanently engaged with each other and with the clamp, and the latter may be spread by proper rotation of the nut relative to the bolt. In this case the bolt 5a. is provided with an enlarged flange I 3 engaging the inner face of the corresponding ear 4a of the clamp la. The nut 8a is provided with an extension Ma turnably mounted in and projecting through the corresponding ear and provided with an enlarged flange IE on its inner end engaging the inner face of said ear. 7

Longitudinal movement of the nut or bolt relative to the respective ears is thus positively prevented. As stated, the bolt and nut are always engaged and relative rotation thereof in one direction or the other obviously draws the ears together or moves the same apart, causing a clamping or spreading action of the clamp yoke relative to the terminal post. With this structure the clamp is cast with the bolt and nut in the mold so that the ears 4a are formed about and surround the adjacent portions of said bolt and nut while permitting of the rotation of the same in the ears.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. a

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. 5

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a battery terminal clamp having spaced ears, a bolt projecting through the ears to a 10 point beyond one of the same, threads on the outer end portion of the bolt terminating short of said ears, and a nut on the bolt adapted to abut against said one ear, said nut having a blind bore the outer end portion of which is smooth for a relatively great depth to engage the adjacent unthreaded portion of the bolt while the inner end portion is tapped to engage the threads of the bolt.

2.'In a battery terminal clamp having spaced ears, a bolt projecting through the ears, and with its head engaging the outer face of one ear, an enlarged flange integral with the bolt and non-removably but rotatably engaging the inner face of said ear, a nut on the bolt engaging the outer face of the other ear, an extension on said nut about "the bolt and turnably projecting through said ear, and an enlarged flange integral with said extension and non-removably but rotatably engaging the inner face of said other ear.

3. In a battery terminal clamp having spaced ears, a rotatable bolt projecting through the ears and with its head engaging one car, a nut on the bolt engaging the other ear, and separate means integral with the bolt and nut engaging the ears to prevent axial movement of the bolt relative to said one ear and to prevent axial movement of the nut relative to said other ear without restricing rotation of the bolt and nut.

FRED P. HEITMAN. 

